Studies show that top talent want employers who support their overall well-being — even if that means leaving their current job to meet their needs.

So, in today’s job market, employee wellness programs have become more of a “must have” (rather than a “nice-to-have”) to attract and retain top employees. Yet, even for companies that have invested in employee wellness programs, it can be difficult to define and measure success.

Learn how best-in-class employers define success for their employee wellness programs and capture positive returns on investment (ROI).

Employee well-being includes physical, mental and financial wellness

Employee health and well-being goes beyond the physical body. It also includes mental, emotional and financial wellness. To attract and retain top talent, leading employers have taken a holistic approach to wellness.

Instead of focusing only on physical healthcare, employers of choice curate a full suite of benefits to support employees’ mental and financial well-being. Popular additions include meditation apps and monthly budgeting tools.

Every workforce is different. So be sure to adopt employee wellness benefits that resonate most with your team’s unique needs.

How to measure the ROI of employee wellness programs

To evaluate the success of an employee wellness program, first decide which data points matter to your team. These data points help HR track benefits utilization, measure employee satisfaction and allocate benefits spending. Each company may have its key data points. However, popular examples include attrition rates, benefits utilization or the number of healthcare claims submitted.

Once you have chosen your priority data, track these key numbers over time. Taking a data-driven approach to wellness helps HR leaders draw actionable conclusions on how to meet employee needs.

Investing in employee wellness programs can yield benefits and ROI, such as:

Lower healthcare cost savings for employees & employers.

According to Harvard Business Review, Dr. Richard Milani and Dr. Carl Lavie performed a study exploring the ROI of employee wellness programs. In their research, employees (without heart conditions) were given expert resources to improve their cardiovascular health.

As a result of this employee wellness program, about 60% of employee participants were able to reduce their health risk status from high to low. Results included many health improvements, such as lower blood pressure, cholesterol levels and reduced trouble breathing.

In addition, Dr. Milani and Dr. Lavie found that for each $1 invested into this employee wellness program, companies yielded a savings of $6 in healthcare costs.

At the same time, employees also benefited from fewer healthcare costs, doctor’s visits and copays.

Positive branding and competitive edge in the job market. 

Employers of choice have found that investing in employee wellness programs can reap more than just financial reward. Having a robust employee benefits package goes a long way in attracting and retaining top talent.

Employees want a workplace that cares about their overall well-being — physical, financial or emotional. By investing in employee wellness, companies can meet employees’ most pressing needs, while also differentiating themselves from competitors.

Increased productivity due to lower financial stress.  

Money continues to be a leading stressor for most Americans. When employees are faced with chronic stress, it can begin to impact their overall well-being and productivity. According to PwC, 1 in 3 full-time employees say their money worries have impacted their work.

Chronic stress can lead to certain health conditions, such as anxiety, depression and even burnout.

To help address employee money worries, consider investing in financial wellness resources, such as financial education and debt management tools.

By investing in employees’ financial wellness, companies can reap impactful gains. Financial wellness is connected to increased employee engagement, productivity rates and an improved organizational bottom line.

Looking for the right wellness benefit in 2025? Try Best Money Moves.

Best Money Moves is an AI-driven, mobile-first financial wellness solution designed to help employees with varying levels of financial knowledge dial down their most top-of-mind financial stresses. As an easy-to-use financial well-being solution, Best Money Moves offers comprehensive support toward any money-related goal, ranging from debt management to purchasing a home. With 1:1 money coaching, budgeting tools and other resources, our AI-driven platform is designed to help bolster employee financial wellbeing.

To learn more about Best Money Moves Financial Wellness Platform, let’s schedule a call. Contact us and we’ll reach out to you soon.